No obvious signs of instability.
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: Microdot shoulder
Mine winter parking lot to Microdot common up track to a bench on the shoulder of Microdot at ~4300ft. Skied down back to the car.
Hand pits and pole tests along the route, no formal stability tests performed.
Observer Comments
Weather
Light snowfall, sky condition obscured, light wind from the North. Very poor visibility and flat light.
Winds were stronger in Palmer, expected similar up near the Mine but winds were significantly calmer.
Snow surface
Light density, dry new snow.
Snowpack
~10cm of light density new snow on top of the ~10cm of existing light density snow. Melt-freeze crust ~5cm thick with varying hardness from knife+ to 1-finger, trending less hard with rising elevation. Faceting on both sides of the crust, basal facets beneath the crust with surface level melt-freeze at lower elevations.
Overall snow depth of 50-60cm with spatial variability and increasing depth with elevation.